Calibrating an automatic transmission of a vehicle requires determining gear shift points, shift times, shift sequences, etc., for various conditions, such as changes in throttle position, load, altitude, temperature, etc., that the vehicle may encounter. A variety of vehicle system parameters, such as throttle position history, ride height, etc., may be used to calibrate a transmission of a vehicle.
A ride height of a vehicle is a distance between ground and a specified point on the chassis, suspension, or body of a vehicle. As a vehicle is loaded, the vehicle body lowers, and the vehicle suspension deflects. Thus, the ride height of a vehicle changes as the load changes. The ride height may also change when the road conditions change. For example, on a rough road, the ride height may change when the vehicle encounters bumps.
The changes in ride height can be measured by installing load sensors, such as ride height sensors, in the suspension of the vehicle. The ride height data is typically used in suspension control systems to improve ride comfort. For example, the sensor detects changes in the suspension height of a vehicle and sends a signal to a control module that raises or lowers the suspension to ensure a smoother, level ride. The ride height data, however, has not been used to automatically calibrate vehicle transmissions.